Panaji

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh Tripathi on Saturday inaugurated the Goa Maritime Conclave 2026, bringing together delegates from 14 Indian Ocean nations to address escalating regional challenges, including drug trafficking and illegal fishing.

Vice Admiral Sameer Saxena, Flag Officer Commander-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, former chief of naval staff Admiral Arun Prakash and others were present during the inaugural session of the conclave based on the theme "Common maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region – Progressing lines of effort to mitigate dynamic threats".

The conclave is taking place amid challenges such as illegal and unregulated fishing and drug trafficking, which impact the regional stability.

Delegates from Indian Ocean countries, including Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Comoros, Malaysia, Kenya, Singapore, Madagascar, Thailand, Myanmar, Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Tanzania, are attending the event.

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Former Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Arun Prakash, in his keynote address, underscored the need for sharper operational coordination and sustained regional synergy to effectively respond to emerging maritime threats.

"We need to consider the establishment of an illegal, unreported, unregulated fishing task force which pulls resources for real-time intelligence in the future," he said.